PDS

On what?

Can you name one for me? That way I can see if your prediction comes true once The Braggart becomes President. Otherwise, you are simply setting up an falsifiable straw man, not unlike the Global Warming Crowd.

I don't know how you would answer that. That's my point. You're the one claiming to be ignored. Asking for evidence is not the same as calling you stupid. Stop playing the Victim Card about this. The war protesters (in real time) were certainly not ignored: they were on the front page of the newspaper, they led every newscast, and they created quite the ruckus. The anti war people in Congress were not ignored. They debated their notions in public, and had quite an audience for them. The Editorial Writers (some call them the intelligentsia) who wrote against the Wars were not ignored. The man running for President who claimed to be against the Wars was not ignored. He was elected President. How were YOU ignored, Michael? If you answer this question I will be happy to tell how I know when people agree with me on matters. You will be disappointed by my answer, but I am happy to answer your question.

No, Michael, I do think you exist. I really do. As Churchill said, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. What I don't think exists are persuasive arguments in favor of Trump becoming our President. This is not about you. It's about your arguments. Stop playing the Victim Card. It's unbecoming.

How? Not Trump, but you.* How do you intend to dismantle the Endless War machine? *I don't really care much for how Trump claims he will do this, since he will likely be simply Bragging about something or other. You on the other hand, I truly believe to be sincere.

How were you ignored? Who ignored you? Please be specific. I am not doubting you, but how does somebody in your position even know if they are being ignored? I have a piece of advice for you, and I'm not being snarky. You need to stop playing the victim card (There are no "con games" running; and whoever you claim to be the Vested Interests are not the omnipotent puppet masters you think. Repeating these claims does not make them true.), And, you really should stop attacking the motives of those who do not share your political crush on Trump. I am afraid your sympathies for the Pathological Braggart have broken your usually astute radar in the area of people skills. Instead of errantly guessing at my motives and sympathies, why not just ask me? I am happy to explain them.

How do you know all of this? With respect, you are not a mind reader. As one example, you have mentioned "endless wars" many times now. Where were the current "Trump supporters" when those wars were being debated (and fought) in real time? Not now, after the fact, but in real time? A wise man I know has been known to say that one should judge another's actions far more prominently than their mere words. Can you point us to examples of the "Trump supporters" you are describing actually protesting one of these endless wars? Not to be a prick, but did you protest any of these wars? Did you write against these wars? I assume you did, but I don't recall seeing a lot of what currently counts for Trump supporters having done so--not when it counted, at least.

Has anybody claimed The Braggart's supporters are NOT human beings? I get that you're not being literal, but I'm not sure about the underlying point. Can anybody reasonably claim The Braggart's supporters are a monolithic group? Michael, I'm curious about the broad sweeping claims you make about "Trump supporters". Even on this thread the 3-4 Trump supporters who have outed themselves seem to come to their support from different angles.

You're about the only Trump supporter I care about persuading, Michael. You bring up arithmetic a lot, so let me quote a line on this subject from a really great book: "Why is truth made a mere matter of arithmetic—and only of addition at that? Why is everything twisted out of all sense to fit everything else? There must be some reason. I don't know. I've never known it. I'd like to understand."

So what? He's running for President. That's what. Having a 69 year-old Pathological Braggart as our President ought to give everyone pause. Throw in his addiction to Twitter and you have a Pooh Cocktail of the first order. As one example of how that cocktail might operate in the real world, we are subjected to him "tweeting" that "he alone" is able to solve the problem of suicide bombers in Pakistan. This is commonly called bullshit--but, that's what Pathological Braggarts do. It's one thing to have this problem as the head of a private corporation. It's quite another to have this problem as President of the United States. I would never hire a Pathological Braggart to be on my payroll, so why would I want one to be my President?

I didn't think stating that braggarts are bullshit artists was a controversial statement. I stand corrected. I think the fact that Trump is a pathological braggart is highly relevant to his fitness for office. For example, when Trump claims that he is going to eliminate 18 trillion in national debt in 8 years, a concerned citizen might wonder whether this is bragging, hyperbole, or something to count on. I don't think anybody's religion--or lack thereof--has anything to do with this thread. Do you, Michael?

Thank you. My point exactly.

Then how come you never brag?* How come Jonathan never brags about his gorgeous artwork?* How come Howard Roark didn't brag?* Michael: the difference between having swagger and being a 69 year-old braggart is rather immense. Braggarts are bullshit artists. Let's not pretend otherwise. (*hint: in each of my examples, the person let's his work and actions speak for themselves).

I hear he also has a Big Schlong, a world-class memory, the 'best words", the finest physical health of anybody who has ever run for office, and he's a billionaire. We know these things because Donald has told us so. Most people--assuming they ever took the habit up--learn to quit bragging when they are in their teens. What can be said about somebody who is still bragging on himself at the age of 69? Seriously, when is the last time anybody on this thread met a grown man who still brags on himself?

Anybody home in here? What good is Trump 24/7 if we can't figure out what consciousness is?

Jonathan: Do you have any evidence related to this statement? The reason I ask--apart from the obvious--is that Trump's statement about McCain was the turning point for me with Trump, i.e., there was never a chance I could vote for somebody who made such a comment about a prisoner of war, especially when Trump clearly could have served but managed to avoid doing so.

Precisely. One of the ways that I taught my students about delivery was watching "film," it was the "60's, with the sound off. Try that with The Donald, his hand control is right out of the Dale Carnegie school. Fascinating. Can you explain re hand control?

I was in a restaurant recently during the last 'kiddie table" debate and a TV was showing that debate with the sound off. I like Carly Fiorna generally, but it really is pretty jarring to see her body language and facial expressions without hearing her voice. There is a lot of rage in Carly Fiorna. Lots and lots. Unlike Trump, hers ain't fake...

I would say that this type of demeanor bodes well for Trump's trajectory. The question is--assuming he keeps more of this up--whether he can reel back in a decent fraction of the people who have already written him off as a clown.

David, From the way I see people respond to Cruz, they know he's smart, but they don't believe it. I don't know if that makes any sense to you, but there it is. Michael No, that makes perfect sense, actually. Semi-smart liberals have a very hard time with conservatives who are smarter than them. It disrupts their worldview.

Nikki Haley of South Carolina, or maybe the governor of New Mexico.

No. The premise of your question assumes we know who Donald Trump is. I don't think we know who he is. On the contrary, Gail Wynand has always been one of my favorite AR characters--mainly because I felt I always knew exactly who he was.

David, That's a very good article. It confirms some impressions that I had of him before. I used to know a guy in Brazil who said he loved being an idiot (he owned a video and DVD company). He was pretty rich, self-made, and quite predatory. He loved coming across as an idiot because it prompted people to get arrogant around him and lower their guard. I always got that impression about Ted. Michael I get what you're saying, but I really doubt whether anybody thinks Cruz is an idiot. That's a very hard impression to get after even a minimal exposure to him. Unfortunately, I think Cruz would get his arse kicked by Hillary as well--assuming, that is, she's not already in the Pokey by then...

Here is what I don't understand about Trump: why can't he hit this note all the time? If he used the soft touch instead of the approach he takes, he would be far more effective. There are very few Americans, I think, who would disagree with what he said there, or the way he said it.

There was a truck driver in Galt's Gulch. He wasn't a John Galt either--or was he? --Brant please give up being some kind of a victim; it's unseemly and undignified and unworthy and unearned and pretentious (true victimhood can't be earned) you're really pissed off about something, but you've repressed it (anger) so you've ended up depressed Brant: this is good advice for anybody, not just Atlashead.